Falling over again
by blurredrealities
Summary: One night of helping a red-headed girl with her portfolio changes a lot about Kevin Ryan. Especially his views on the young Twenty-one year old.
1. Coming to realizations

**Authors Note:** Hey everyone, I'm Macie. This is my first Castle fanfiction, and it's a Ryan/Alexis one, sorry for those who don't ship. I'm currently Beta-less, so any mistakes made in the story are all at the fault of my own.

Updates will come every Friday, unless I get busy. But don't count on that.

**Disclaimer:** Nope, not mine.  
><strong>Summary:<strong> One night of helping a red-headed girl with her portfolio changes a lot about Kevin Ryan. Especially his views on the young Twenty-one year old.

* * *

><p>It wasn't a normal day at the 12th, that was certain. But then again, when was it a normal day at the 12th? With Detective Kate Beckett and her crazy past. Richard Castle, and the fact that he wasn't even a detective, he was just a shadowboyfriend. Then there were Detectives Kevin Ryan and Javier Esposito. Esposito, being the long term boyfriend of the medical examiner, Doctor Laine Parish.

But out of all of them, Detective Kevin Ryan was by far the strangest of them all. And when you saw him, one could guess why. He was just a little bit awkward. And that's why his wife loved him. But, it was also why she didn't. She also didn't like the fact that he could be killed any day of the week, just by going to work.

She for one, didn't want to be in a relationship with someone who could leave for work and never come back. And she told him that, they argued, and things just went down-hill. That was almost a year ago and a half ago.

The divorce had been final for just about six months. They tried to work through it, but that always just resulted in yelling and arguing. Sure, he loved her. But he just figured that if they couldn't get through their issues, then maybe it wasn't meant to be.

Kevin Ryan had lived one hell of a year, and things were just about to get worse. It was a week before the long awaited day of the Beckett/Castle wedding, and he had been over at Castle's loft whenever he wasn't at the precinct, just talking. Trying to get Castle to not freak out. He had loved Beckett for almost as long as Ryan had known him.

And with being at Castle's loft, meant that he saw Alexis Castle almost every day. The Twenty-one year old was so much more to him than she was before she left for college. They were great friends, and well, even he had to admit that she was quiet the beauty. The way her long red hair always was perfect, the way she did her make-up, highlighting the beauty in her face. And most of all, the most beautiful part about her was her personality.

Alexis Castle was possibly the sweetest person on the face of the planet. She cared about everyone, but mostly, she cared about her Dad and Grandmother. Growing up, she didn't have a stable mother figure in her life, and her Dad and Gram were the only ones who always made time for her.

The one thing that Kevin Ryan admired most about Alexis, was the fact that she practically raised herself. With her father being an author, and a careless author at that, most people would think that her mother raised her. Sure, her Dad gave her advice when she needed it, and he did worry about her, but she was nothing like either of her parents.

One night, Castle had retired to his office to write, and Alexis was wiping down the counters in the kitchen. Ryan and Esposito were both getting their jackets and were about to leave, when Espoitos phone began to ring, and Ryan saw that it was Laine. He quickly walked out in the hall, leaving Alexis and Ryan, practically alone in the loft. Alexis looked up from what she was doing to notice that Ryan was just watching her wipe down the counters.

"You can do this, I would gladly allow you to. I have to get my portfolio put together for my job interview tomorrow." she crossed her arms over her chest, a small smile on her face.

"Want me to help you? I can help you finish up here..." he waved his arms around the kitchen, indicating that is what he meant. "and then we can go work on your portfolio?" he suggested. She opened the cupboard below the sink, tossing him a dish towel.

"You get to dry the dishes." she told him with a smirk.

He nodded and set off to work, and in fifteen minutes, they were sitting up on Alexis' bed, her laptop open, and a bunch of papers scattered around them. They worked for another hour, having small talk about Alexis at college, some of Ryan's favorite and least favorite cases.

When they finished, Alexis closed the small white binder and took a breath of relief.

"Finished, finally." she stood up off her bed and set her binder by the black bag on her dresser. She leaned against the wall, running her hands through her hair.

"You're impressive, Lex." Ryan said as he closed her computer, and walked over and put it on her dresser. She nodded a thanks.

"What do you mean I'm impressive?" she asked him, turning so that they were now face to face.

"All of the stuff you had to put in here, the clubs, the volunteer work."

"Oh. That." She chuckled and turned on her heel and walked over to her bed, picking the extra papers up and throwing them in her trash bin.

"There's a lot more though." Ryan continued. "You care about everyone, you're one of the sweetest people I've ever met, and I don't understand why you don't have guys lined up for miles to ask you out with how beautiful you are." This caused Alexis to straighten her stance, but she didn't turn around all she did was smile.

"Really?" she said finally, turning around slowly.

"Really." he said with a nod.

"Oh, well, thanks."

"Well, I'm going to get going. Could get a call any time now." He told her, walking out of her room.

"Hey! Kevin!" she called after him, he stopped at the foot of the stairs, and turned around. She walked down to him, giving him a quick hug.

"Thank you for all your help." She pulled away, smiling.

"No problem." Before he walked away, he gave her a kiss on the cheek, causing her to smile like an idiot. He then turned around and walked to the door.

"You coming by tomorrow?" she asked before he walked out.

"Of course." was all he said, and then he walked out. Alexis smiled and walked up the stairs. She was finally admiring it to herself, that she had a crush. On someone who was fourteen years older than her.

Little did she know that he was falling for her, and he knew that he shouldn't be.


	2. Well, which is it?

**Authors Note:** Happy Saturday, everyone! I know it isn't Friday, but I just couldn't wait to update this chapter! Also, I have no life, so I'll be posting outfits on my Tumblr under the tab "Falling Again.", so feel free to check that out as soon as I get it up. On that note...  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Nope, not mine.  
><strong>Summary:<strong> One night of helping a red-headed girl with her portfolio changes a lot about Kevin Ryan. Especially his views on the young Twenty-one year old.

* * *

><p>She pulled the keys out of the ignition of her red car, grabbing her phone from the cup-holder, along with the black plastic bag that was on the passenger seat and quickly getting out of her car and running inside the building before getting any rain on her. When she got inside, she walked straight to the elevator. After about a minute of waiting, the doors open for her. She got inside and hit the floor number she needed, then leaned against the wall. She ran her hands over her black and white pleated skirt. She unlocked her phone and started scrolling through her text messages as she waited to get to the floor she needed. When the elevator stopped sooner than it normally did, she looked up, seeing a male detective walk.<p>

"You're going up to homicide?" he said when he noticed that that was the button that was pushed.

"Yeah, taking my Dad's Fiancee lunch. He got stuck in a meeting." Alexis replied looking back down at her phone.

"I see." was all he replied with. When the elevator doors closed, he leaned against the left wall and looked back over at her.

"Whose your Dad's Fiancee? Maybe I know her." Alexis didn't look up, he was obviously trying to make small talk.

"Detective Beckett." she replied. As soon as she said it, the elevator stopped, and she walked out to see the familiar homicide department.

"Hey, Alexis." Detective Beckett said as soon as the redhead reached her desk.

"Dad's meeting ran long, so he had me bring you some lunch." Alexis told her, handing her the black back. "He wanted me to tell you that he's sorry, and he'll make it up to you. I didn't bother asking how, because I am sure that I don't want to know." She continued with a joking smile on her face.

"Thanks, Alexis. I've got a ton of paperwork to do anyway, so it's fine." Beckett said setting the bag on the floor to be eaten later. "So, how'd the job interview go?" Kate asked her. Alexis shrugged.

"I think it went pretty well, they have some guy coming in to interview in about an hour. I should find out around six if I got the job. She said that she was impressed that I could manage to get four years of school done in three and a half years. Both with highschool and college. If I do get the job, I'll be the youngest teacher there." Alexis said proudly.

"That's really great Alexis, I think you'll get it."

"Well, I'm gonna go home. Faye wants to know how it went because she'll be sending her daughter there at the beginning of the year."

"How old is Faye again?" Kate asked as she put a piece of paper in a manilla folder.

"She's my age. Twenty-one." Alexis said.

"Right, she had her daughter really young." Kate replied. Alexis looked around quickly just to see if who was there.

"Where are Detectives Esposito and Ryan?" Alexis asked as she brushed her hair behind her ear.

"Uh, I think they went for lunch." Kate told her without looking up.

"Right. Well, I'll see you later then." She said before turning and walking away, leaving the room in complete silence except for the click of her heels as she walked away. Instead of wanting to take the elevator, she decided that she would take the stairs, because she didn't have to meet Faye for an hour and she had time to kill.

When she reached the bottom floor, her phone vibrated in her hand, and she unlocked it, seeing a new text message.

_To Alexis From Faya-Bella: Hey Lexi, Gale is sick, so we won't be able to make it. Sorry, hun. We have to do it another time. Call me when you find out! ox Faye._

_ To Faya-Bella From Alexis: It's alright, don't want little Abigale to get more sick, or to get anyone else sick. I hope that she gets better soon. I will call you as soon as I hear anything. (:_

As Alexis was typing her reply she was slowly walking to the doors of the precinct, not really watching where she was walking. As soon as she hit send, she went to lock her phone, but instead, she ran right into someone. Immediately she felt terrified. She probably just ran into a cop. For not paying attention.

"Oh! I am so-" she looked up to see the face of one Kevin Ryan standing there. "-sorry." She brushed her hair out of her face using both of her hands and she looked at the ground.

"Good to see you too, Alexis." he said with a chuckle. "Whatcha doing?"

"Well, now I'm going home to sit there and wait for my Dad to come home and complain about his meeting." She sighed before continuing. "I was going to go change and meet up with a friend and tell her how the interview went, but her daughter got sick so that plans out." Alexis replied.

"How did that go, by the way? I'm betting that they were impressed."

"It went well, I find out around six tonight if they liked me or the other, much older, guy." she said with a confident smile.

"You'll get it." Ryan said with a nod. "Hey, I have an idea. Since your friend canceled on you, I get off in a few hours, we can go get something to eat while you wait to hear." he talked really quickly, but Alexis understood every word he said.

"Would this be two friends getting something to eat together, or would this be like a date or something?" Alexis asked him.

"Uh, Well, uh, Either?" He looked down at the ground then back up at her again.

"A date it is then." she said with a smile.

"how about you meet me in the park at say.. five-thirty? I'm off at five."

"Five-thirty." She confirmed with a nod.

"Alright, well, Beckett's gonna kill me if I don't get back up to work." he told her. She nodded and walked outside as he made his way over to the elevator.

[ - - - ]

It was four-thirty when Alexis had decided to get ready. After she had gotten home she decided to take a shower then go sit on her bed and read until her Dad got home. After he had complained for an hour, he decided that he would go call Kate and apologize.

Alexis picked up her phone off her bed and re-read the text message she had gotten from Kevin about an hour.

_To: Alexis From: Kevin Ryan: Dress nicely tonight. Something like you would wear if you were working._

After closing the text message, she walked over to her closet and opened it, pulling out a black long-sleeved shirt, and a white tanktop out of the dresser. All her friends thought that she was weird for keeping her dressed in her closet, but she just thought that it made sense to have all her clothes by each other. She pulled them on and grabbed a black skirt off one of the hangers. After looking at it for a second, she put it back on it's hanger, and reached over and grabbed a white wool one that she never wore, and quickly put it on. She grabbed her favorite pair of black ankle-boots, and tossed them onto her bed before she opened the top drawer of her dresser and pulled out a pair of white socks. She walked over to her bed. She pulled her socks on, not folding them over like she usually did, and then pulled her shoes on. Once she had the laces done up, she folded the tops of her socks over twice so that they could be seen above her shoes.

She walked over to her full length mirror and examined her outfit. Once she was sure that it was fine, she grabbed the comb off the nightstand and combed through her hair, deciding that leaving it down and not straightening it looked best with her outfit. When she had finished combing through her hair, she walked over and grabbed her phone off her bed checking the time, that was now 5:10. She grabbed the small black clutch that had her keys to the loft and her lip gloss in, along with some spare cash and her ID before turning off the light to her room and practically running down the stairs.

"Hey Lexi, you going out?" she heard from the kitchen. She turned her head to see Kate sitting on one of the stools, flipping through one of her Dad's old picture albums.

"Yeah, I have my keys, so tell Dad he can lock the door. I don't know when I'll be back." Alexis said before quickly walking out.

She had only been back from college for a little over three months now, and she couldn't wait to get her own apartment. She loved living with her Dad, but she was turning twenty-two next month, she was getting a little old to be living with him.

She walked out of the apartment building and started her walk to the park, dodging the groups of teenagers who were staring at her with wide eyes. She was very grateful when she arrived at the park, because most of the people there were with someone. She looked at her phone, seeing the time was now 5:29. She pulled up her contact list and hit Kevin's name and hit the call button.

The phone only rang twice before he answered.

"Hey, we never said where we were gonna meet?" She said as more of a question rather than a statement.

"Well, where are you right now? I'll come find you." She heard through the reciever.

"Uh, I'm just a little past the Taco stand Kate likes."

"I know where you are. I'll be there in like, thirty seconds."

"Kay." She clicked hung up the call, locked her phone and put it in her bag. When she had clipped het bag closed, she saw Kevin walking towards her, kind of looking down at the ground. She smiled as she walked up to him.

"You look..." He took a deep breath as he grabbed her wrists and looked over her outfit. "..Wow. You look great." he told her.

"So do you, you look great." she said with a smile.

"Alright. So, why don't we just walk around until you get your phone call, and then we can go eat?" he suggested, and she nodded.

"That sounds good."

He nodded and they started walking down one of the cement path. Alexis brushes one part of her hair behind her ear, leaving one part draping over her shoulder.

"So, get all your paper work done?"

"Most of it." Ryan replied with a shrug.

"That's good." She replied with a smile. She looked up at him and bite her lip.

"You look really pretty tonight, Alexis, but I must ask you.. When you get the job, would you actually wear that to work?"

"Well, no. I wouldn't wear this. I'd probably wear slacks and a button up shirt most of the time." Alexis replied with a shrug.

He nodded and put his arm gently on her back. She looked down at the ground, letting her hair fall over her face so that he wouldn't see her smile.

"Want to go sit in the grass?" Alexis asked as she looked up at him. He nodded, grabbing her hand and leading her to the grass, She sat down, pulling her legs to her side and looked across the park at a couple toddlers playing with their parents. Ryan sat down next to her, running his hands through the grass.

The wind picked up lightly, causing Alexis' hair to blow into the side of her face. "Hey, Kevin, I'm assuming there have been a lot of murders here, how do you stand to come back?"

"I solve the murders."

"That's a good way." Just then, Alexis heard the default ringtone go off on her phone. Nervously, she opened her bag and took out her phone, seeing the number of the school she applied at. She took a deep breath and slide the answer button across the screen, putting the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"..."Yeah."..."Alright, thanks." After she said that, she hung-up, took a deep breath, and smiled.

"Training starts next week." She said, turning to the detective.

"I told you, didn't I?"

"You did." She replied. She reached over and hugged him tightly. When he pulled away from her, he gave her a soft kiss on the forehead, and stood up, reaching for her hand.

"I think we should go eat now, I'm pretty hungry." He said as he helped her up.

"Food sounds delicious." She replied with a smile. They started walking, hand in hand, through Central Park on their way to dinner.


	3. Advice from a friend

**Authors Note:** Happy Back Friday, did any of you brave the crowds and do some shopping? I hope so, then you won't realize that I'm updating this almost at Saturday. I'm typing this up at 11:41, while working on a college level class presentation.. I really love writing this, no joke! I've also made a twitter account, if anyone wants to follow it. It's xoMacie, and I'll link it to on my profile, along with my tumblr(xo-Macie).

Also, I want your opinions: i'm deciding how long I want this fic to be, because a few days ago, I pictured a scene where Alexis and Ryan are in the hospital with their new baby, and Jenny walking into their room instead of her cousins or something and yeah. Should I make this go that long, it will be at least two years into the future, if I do end up doing that, it would have to be after they date for at LEAST six months, and then the 40 week pregnancy, ect. ect. You know? If I do end up making this story go that far, i am going to have some timeskips, some might be a month long..

Oh, oh, oh, don't hate me because I skipped the dinner scene, I just really want to get this story off the ground. If you guys really wanna read it, I'll write it as a oneshot.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Nope, not mine.  
><strong>Summary:<strong> One night of helping a red-headed girl with her portfolio changes a lot about Kevin Ryan. Especially his views on the young twenty-one year old.

* * *

><p>"Thanks for coming out with me tonight." Detective Kevin Ryan said as they reached the door to the loft where Alexis Castle lived with her dad.<p>

"I had a nice time. Even though I am sure that my constant talk about my new job probably annoyed you." she replied, pulling her key out of the black clutch she had carried the whole night. She also pulled out her phone, seeing that the time was almost 11:30.

"I can't believe we stayed out for six hours." she told him with a smile as she put her key in the lock.

"Neither can I." He said from behind her. She turned around before unlocking the door, smiling up at him, her hair falling out from behind her ear. "Do you want to tell your dad who you were out with tonight?" he asked her.

"Maybe after I get back from one of my trainings that I have to leave the state for." she shrugged and put her hand on the door knob. She heard someone inside, sounding kind of like Detective Beckett, probably saying that she was about to leave.

"Okay, you need to go. I think Kate's leaving, and she can't see you." Alexis whispered, pushing his shoulder the opposite direction of the elevator, towards the stairs.

"Okay, Okay. I'm leaving." He told her, but before he walked away, he bent down, giving her a soft, gentle kiss. She kissed him back, then pushed his shoulder, watching him walk off. She turned and opened the door, pulling her key out of the lock, smiling widely.

"Hey, Lex." she heard her dad say from the couch. She looked to her left, seeing Kate putting her black leather jacket.

"You look like you had a good evening." she told the redhead.

"Yeah. It was great." she replied, tossing her bag on the counter. "Oh, I have training next week, and I have to go in tomorrow to get shown around the building and to meet all the other teachers."

"I knew you'd get the job, Alexis." Her dad told her, and Beckett pulled her into a hug.

"I'm gonna go to bed." She told them as soon as Kate pulled away.

[ - - - ]

The next morning, Alexis woke up at 7:15, and grabbed her phone off the bedside table, seeing that she had a new text message from Faye.

_Hey babe, heard you got the job! Be requestin' yuuu for Gale's teachah! Oh, and Megs told me she saw you in the park with some cute guy yesterday, tell me ALL the details over lunch? Mi Madre be watchin' the little one. I need a break! xox Fayabella._

To FayaBella From Alexis: _Yup! I'm now a workin' lady! I gotta go in for a tour and to meet the other teachers, but I'll text you and let you know if we can do lunch, be warned, there aren't many details. Yet. _

Alexis sighed and looked up at the ceiling before she threw her blanket off and stood up, pulling her white robe off the door, throwing her blanket back over her bed neatly and walking down to the kitchen.

"Morning" She said to her Dad, who was sitting on the counter, as she grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. "Any reason you are sitting on the counter?" She continued with a raised eyebrown.

"Can't a guy try something new?"

"Sure. Sure, of course." She pulled a box of poptarts out of the pantry, and took out a sleeve, putting the box back. "I'm gonna go get ready to go, but do you think you can do me a favor?"

"Hum, it depends. Do you want me to.. Rob a bank for you?"

"No. I was wondering if you could drop me off at the school and then take my car to get the oil changed?" She asked him, a very childish smile on her face.

"Yeah, I can do that." He told her, jumping off the counter.

"Thank you." She stood on her toes and kissed her Dad's cheek, and then ran up the stairs to get dressed.

[ - - - ]

It was 11:45 when she finished her tour around the school, and she was now sitting in a classroom. No, her classroom. There were desks lining the walls, waiting to be arranged how she wanted them to be, she had two boxes of brand new black dry-erase markers, and three new erasers, she even had a smart board that would be hooked up to her computer, and her laptop if she wanted it to be. To put it simply, she was super excited about her new job, she even had great co-workers, which was a huge bonus for her.

Her phone began to ring, and she pulled it out of the back pocket of her phone, sliding the answer button across the screen.

"Hey Faye." She said into her phone, sitting on one of the desks

"... hey Lex, so, I was wondering if we were gonna crab lunch?"

"Sure, I'm at the school right now, just got done with my tour slash meet the staff thing. But my Dad took my car to get the oiled changed, so I'd have to take the subway to meet you."

"Whats by you?"

"I think there's a McDonalds a few blocks down the road."

"Meet me there in twenty."

"Alrighty, can do."

"And bring your details, girl."

"What little there are?"

"Yup, those. See you soon." Alexis hung her phone up, locking it and setting it in her pocket. She grabbed the Lanyard off her desk which had keys to her classroom and the closets in her classroom, and where she would need to keep her ID badge when she got it, and closed the door to her classroom walking out of the school.

About fifteen minutes later, she walked inside the McDonalds, seeing a ton of people inside, which was to be expected because it was around lunch time. She leaned up against the wall, pretending to be reading the menu above, but she really wasn't, because she knew what was there, she had been eating at McDonalds so much.

"Lexeh!" she heard from her left, and she smiled when she saw her black haired friend.

"Hey Faye!" She told her friend, giving her a hug.

"I'm freaking hungry. Let's get some food."

They walked up to the counter, ordering their food. Alexis got a Hot -n- Spicy McChicken and a large MnM McFlurry, and Faye got a Chocolate Shake and a Southern Style Chicken Meal. They walked over to a table in the back corner, and sat down across from each other.

"Okay. We aren't even going to dance around it, tell me who he is."

"Well, if you must know, he's someone my Dad has worked with for years, he's a really good friend. But he's like.. fourteen years older than me." Alexis said, taking a spoonful of her McFlurry.

"So what. It isn't that big of a deal about your age. My Parents are sixteen years apart. " Faye told her with a shrug. "You like him, right?" Alexis nodded taking a bite of her sandwich "He likes you?"

"I think so?"

"Then go for it, babe!"

"I don't know.. it's complicated." Alexis said as she finished off her sandwich and wrapped her wrapper up in a ball. She felt her phone vibrate and she pulled it out of her back pocket, seeing a message from her Dad telling her that her car was in the parking garage, all good to be driven. She set her phone down on the table and stood up to throw her wrapper away.

When she got back, she saw that Faye had taken her phone.

"Faye, what are you doing?"

"Being a teenager again." she replied with a smile.

"Give me my phone." when she didn't respond Alexis reached over the table to grab it. "Faye, seriously!" Alexis laughed.

"Okay.. and done." She handed Alexis her phone. Alexis noticed right away that she was on her facebook application, she scrolled to her profile and gasped when she saw what Faye had changed.

**Alexis Castle **Note to Lexi, don't leave your phone on the table, babe. I'll make sure that your facebook is updated like it should be. xox** Faye. **

**Alexis Castle **went from "**Single**" to "**It's complicated**"

Alexis groaned and put her phone back in her pocket, standing up.

"I'm gonna go home now.." she told Faye, who stood up, giving her friend a hug.

"Just go there. Go after him, you can't risk not doing it." Faye told her.

"Okay, Faye. Whatever you say." She told her, and walked out of the McDonalds. She knew that Faye had a point, and maybe she should get advice from her friend.


	4. First day at work !

"_...Said I wouldn't call but I lost all control and I need you now..."_ the words to the Lady Antebellum song, "Need You Now" played faintly through the speakers of Alexis' car. She was heading off to her first day of work, but she wasn't as excited as she thought she would be. She couldn't get her mind off the conversation she had with Faye a few days ago. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. She wanted to take Faye's advice, but she didn't want to ruin her and her Dad's relationship. She turned off the radio as the song ended, pulling into the parking lot behind the school.

She turned off her car, grabbing a red bag off the seat next to her and walked inside the school, making sure that her car was locked. She walked up to her classroom in the almost empty school, the sound of her heels muffled by the thin rug on the floor.

After hooking her Dell laptop up to her smart board, she checked the clock, noticing that it was not 7:50, and students and their parents would be arriving soon. She sighed, brushing her hair out of her face and adjusting her white button-up shirt.

The first family walked in and Alexis walked over to them.

"Hi, I'm Ms. Castle. What's your name?" She asked the little girl.

"Ashwyn Jones." She told Alexis, looking at the ground.

"Ashlyn, because you're the first one here, you get to pick where you sit. You can sit any where you want." Alexis told the little girl, a friendly smile on her face.

The small blonde girl nodded and walked over to a desk in the front row, not letting go of her mothers hand. The mother helped the girl take her backpack off as she sat in her desk.

"Hey Ash, I'm gonna talk to your teacher for a minute, why don't you read?" the mother asked, handing the little girl a Dr. Seuss book out of her backpack. Ashlyn nodded, and her mother stood up straight, walking over to Alexis' desk with her.

"She's just a little shy. She's got two twin brothers who are five years older then her, so she really doesn't have any one to play with at home, I'm hoping she'll make friends."

"I'm sure she will. There are about twenty kids in our class." Alexis said with a nod.

"Ms. Castle, I don't want to sound rude, but you look very young, are you old enough to be teaching?"

Alexis chuckled.

"I'm fully qualified. I've always been an over achiever, I graduated high-school early and enrolled at Columbia, and well, here I am." she said with a smile as two families walked in the classroom. "Excuse me, she said walking over to them. She introduced herself, and met the three kids, Janice and Julia Kalia twin girls with the prettiest red hair, much like Alexis' was when she was that age and David Hunter, who had jett black hair.

About a half hour later, all the kids had come in, leaving only a few empty desks. A couple of kids had already seemed to form friendships, which made what parents that were standing in the back quiet happy.

The bell rang, causing a few people to jump, but Alexis stood up, walking to the front of the classroom.

"Hi everyone! I'm your teacher, Ms. Castle, and I'd like to welcome you to your first day of kindergarten. Now, I've talked to you all, and I noticed that some of you have talked to each other, but I want all of us to get to know everyone, so, I'd like it if all of you could come and sit in a circle on this red carpet." Alexis said, pointing to the red rug she was standing on.

It took a minute for all of them to walk over and sit down, but when they all sat down looking up at Alexis, she sat down cross-legged, just like them.

"Alright, I'll start, and we can work around the circle." The group nodded, and Alexis smiled. "I'm Ms. Castle, My full name is Alexis Castle, uhm, my Dad is a writer my Mom an actress, growing up my parents were divorced so I lived with my Dad and Grandma. I like to read and I spend a lot of time with my Dad's Fiancee and her friends from work." Alexis said with a nod. She looked to her left and put her hand on the shoulder of a little boy. "Why don't you go next?" she asked him. He looked up at her an nodded.

"I'm Jackson Hutcherson.. I live with my Mom, my Dad dies before I was born in a car accident, and sometimes my Mom cries herself to sleep at night. I like baseball and I counting numbers. Mom says I'm gonna be a mathematician when I get older! I don't know what that is, but it sounds cool!" he said proudly, and Alexis knew that he was not at all shy.

The girl next to him looked at Alexis with a look that seemed to ask if she was supposed to go, Alexis nodded, and the small girl looked at the ground as she talked.

"I'm Vanessa Jayde Jackson. I live with my Mommy and Daddy, my older sisters Ella, Viviann, and Sam. I want to be just like them, 'cuz they all dance, and uh, my aunt owns a dance school, and she- she told me I could join when I start school, so I get to go there every Monday and... The fourth day." She said, forgetting what day that was. Alexis chuckled as the next girl started talking.

"I'm Julia Kalia! I live with my Mom, Dad, my sister Janice, and my cousin David. He has to live with us because his mommy and daddy are in the, uh, Air Forks! Me and my sister Janice look EXACTLY the same, and we have the same birthday! Mommy says that's because we are twins, which I think is super awesome." she said with a nod.

"I'm Janice Kawia, I live with Momma, Dad, Julia and David. This is my sister Julia.." she nudged her twin, who was sitting next to her. I like to play hopscotch with her, even though I can't count. David has to do it for me."

It continued on, through 15 little kids, a lot of them really shy, but some were really out going. Just as the third to last girl was about to go, Alexis' classroom door opened, and the school's special education director, Mr. Dans, walked in with a little blonde girl in a red skirt and white shirt, and what Alexis assumed was her Dad. Alexis stood up, and told the group to keep introducing themselves. She walked away from her students.

"Mr. Dans." she said with a nod.

"Alexis, this is Alianna Demming, she's one of your students, but she's autistic and on an iep plan, so she will be working with me for a little bit each day." Alexis nodded.

"This is her Father, Tom Demming, we will need to meet with him or her mother every once in a while to discuss the iep plan." Alexis nodded, wondering why his name sounded so familiar. "Mr. Demming, this is Alexis Castle, as I explained she is your daughters teacher. Don't be fooled by how young she is, she is fully qualified for the job." Mr. Dans said with a chuckle.

"I'll let you get back to your class, I think they've finished what ever they were doing." he told her, walking out of the room. Alexis looked over her shoulder at the group of kids who were now either talking or staring at her.

"Miss Castle, I'm hoping that she can make friends. She's my first and only kid and I'd hate for her to be alone throughout school just because of her disability." Demming to her.

"I'm sure she will make friends, I can take her over now to introduce herself just like I had the other kids do, if you'd like, you can stay here. Some parents did, but I think most of them have left now." Alexis told him. He nodded, bending down ti Alianna and telling her something. She hesitantly walked over to Alexis and followed her over to the group of students.

"Alianna, why don't you sit right here by Jackson and Abi, okay?" Alianna nodded and sat down.

"Everyone, this is Alianna. Alianna, why don't you tell us about yourself?" she nodded.

"I'm Awi, and I have my Mommy and Daddy and, they- they catch bad guys ewery day so I spend a wot of time with my Gran and we- we pway games." she didn't take her eyes off the floor the whole time she was talking.

"Thank you, Ali." Alexis said with a smile and she looked up at the clock, seeing that it was almost 9, and time for morning recess. "Okay everyone, it's almost time to go out for morning recess. I'm going to give you all a "special task" to complete, think you can do that for me?" Most of the kids nodded, some of them looked unsure, though.

"I'm going to give you all a "buddy" and they are going to be your recess buddy for today. I want you guys to play with each other. Be friends!" Alexis said with a smile.

She paired the group up, and they started talking to each other, mostly about what they were going to do.

"Hey, Abigale.." Alexis said as she walked over to her friend's daughter, who she had paired up with Alianna.  
>"Yes, Lexis?"<p>

"First, Abi, you can't call me Lexis here, this is school, okay?" the little girl nodded, looking a little sad. "You know how I paired you up with Alianna, well, I was hoping that I could put her in the desk next to you? She might have a hard time making friends, and I know that you'll be nice to her?" Abigale nodded, and skipped back over to Alianna. Alexis smiled as she heard the little girl introduce herself.

"Hi! I'm Abigale, but my Mommy calls me Gale, and sometimes her friend calls me Abi. Do you want to be my best friend?" Alexis didn't here the girls response because the bell rang just then, and it was quiet loud.

"Okay everyone, I'm going to have you line up in two lines next to your partner and I'll walk you out to the playground. Remember; when the bell rings I want you all to come and find me. I'll be outside. "

She lead the group to the play ground and watched them run off with their partners to the playground, but she watched as Ali and Abigale walked over to the bucket of jump ropes sitting on the black top.

Fifteen minutes later, the bell rang, and all the older kids ran inside, but the kindergarteners all ran and found their teachers who were talking to each other.

She lead her class back inside, and started them on their first lesson, which was writing. She handed them all pencils and papers and asked them to try and write the letters she had projected on the smart board.

[ - - - ]

At lunch, she walked the kids to the cafeteria, and showed those who brought their lunch with them where to sit, and then walked over to the students who would need help getting the school food. She helped each of them type in their personal numbers, and told them to get their tray, milk and a piece of fruit, then wait by the wall for her to show them where to sit. After all the students had their lunch, she walked over to the table and told them that they could go through the double doors by the trash cans to go outside to play until the bell rang, and she would be outside waiting for them.

Most of them nodded, and she smiled, walking back to her class room to eat her lunch. When she got there she took her phone out of her bag, along with a bag of celery sticks and sliced apples, and say down at her chair, turning her phone on.

When it turned on fully, she saw that she had four new text messages.

_To Alexis: From Fayabella – Hey girly, so, I just saw you, but couldn't really TALK to you because everyone was trying to talk to you and all that jazz, just wanted to say good luck, and give abigale a hard time. (: _

_To Alexis: From Kate – Have fun at work today Lex, would've you know, told you this this morning, but got a case pretty early! _

_To Alexis: From Kevin. – (1 /2) Alexis, I'm sitting at work running financial records on our vic, and I decided that I should wish you luck today, even though I know you aren't going to need it. You'll do great and everyone will love you. _

_To Alexis: From Kevin. – (2 /2) If we close this case, maybe we can get something to eat tonight? Call me when you get the chance and I'll let you know how it's coming along..? _

Alexis smiled as she leaned back in her chair, hitting the call back number on her phone and putting her phone to her ear.

"Oh, hello." she heard from the other end

"So.. I just read your message." Alexis said into her phone, taking a bite of an apple slice.

"Yeah, this case was super boring and super easy."

"You finished it?"

"Yeah, second guy we brought in did it. Turns out he didn't _mean_ to kill her."

"I see."

"So hows work?"

"It's really great. There is the sweetest autistic girl, says her Mom and Dad 'catch bad guys every day', I thought of you guys."

"Really? That's adorable."

"Yeah, and she has the prettiest name, but her last name sounds so familiar, I don't know from where though."

"What is it?"

"Alianna, Alianna Demming."

"Her Dad Tom Demming?"

"Yeah.."

"He's a robbery detective, Espo's friend, went out with Beckett for a little bit."

"Oh. I don't know him, first time I saw him was today. Maybe I heard my Dad talk about him or something." Alexis looked at her clock, seeing that the half-hour lunch was almost over.

"Hey, so, I'm gonna have to go make sure that all my students are outside and bring them in in a minute." She said, throwing away the empty ziplock bag.

"So, tonight, we can grab some dinner?

"Sounds good. Want me to pick you up? I'm off at four." Alexis asked, standing up.

"Sure, that works."

"Alright, at your place, or the precinct?"

"Hum, the Precinct? 4:30? Captain isn't in today, so I can slip out a little early."

"Okay, I'll see you then. I really have to go now, the bell is literally about to ring, and I have to meet the kids outside."

"Kay, see you later, Lex."

Alexis hung up her phone sliding it in her desk drawer and walking to the cafeteria to make sure that no one was in there, and then she walked outside, right as the bell rang.

[ - - - ]

Alexis shut off her computer, unplugging it from the outlet behind her desk and wrapping the cord up and placing it in her bag, and putting her bag on her shoulder. She picked her black laptop up and put it in the case before putting that over her shoulder and walking out of the class room, pulling her phone out of her back pocket. She checked the time, seeing that it was 4:05.

She got in her car, but before starting it, she sent a text message to Ryan.

_To Kevin: From Alexis. – Hey, I'm just leaving the school. Takes about twenty minutes to drive there in traffic, so I'll be there soon. (: _

she hit send and put her phone in the cup-holder and started her car, pulling out of the parking lot.

When she pulled up in front of the precinct, she picked up her phone checking her messages, seeing a new one from Kevin.

_To Alexis: From Kevin – Okay, Beckett left early, and Espo's going down to see Laine(which means he'll be down there for a while) she when you get here just come up._

She pulled around to the guest parking, putting her car in park before turning it off. She made her way up to the homicide department. When she got out of the elevator, she walked over to Detective Ryan's desk, her heels clicking on the hard floor.

"Workin' hard?" she asked him and he looked up.

"Of course." he chuckled.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah, just a sec." he said, clicking his mouse. Alexis assumed that it was him closing the windows and shutting his computer down. He stood up, grabbing his jacket off the back of his chair and putting it on.

"Shall we go?" Alexis nodded, and they started walking towards the elevator.

They got down to Alexis' car, and she pulled out of the parking lot.

"So what are you thinking to eat?

"Food sounds delicious."

Alexis chuckled and shook her head.

"Pizza or burgers?"

"Burgers."

Alexis nodded and made a left towards Remy's.

After they ordered their food, they walked over to a table and sat down to eat.

They ate their food in silence, but when they finished the detective looked up at Alexis and tilted his head to the left.

"Hey Alexis, I have a question for you."

"Ask away." Alexis said, crossing her arms over the table.

"I saw what your friend Faye did to your facebook..."

"Oh.." Alexis looked down at her lap.

"Don't shoot me or anything... but I was wondering what you saw... us as?"

Alexis looked up at him, a confused expression on her face.

"Firstly, YOU are the one with the gun here, not me. And second, I really like you, Kevin. Like, a lot. Maybe even more then I liked Ashley." She told him. She looked at his eyes, biting her bottom lip.

"And I really like you, 'Lexis."

"Then.. do we go there?" Alexis asked hesitantly.

"Do you want to?" He asked her, obviously slightly nervous. Alexis nodded, looking in her lap again.

"Er, yeah, I think so." she whispered, looking up.

"Me too." He said with a smile. Alexis smiled at him, and took a drink from the near empty cup by her.

"Now, we have a problem." She said, setting the cup down.

"And that would be?" he asked her as he stood up, gathering their trash.

"Who gets to tell my Dad?" she asked, standing up. They walked over to the trash, throwing their stuff in the trash can.

Alexis walked out to her car, Ryan right beside her. She hit the button on her remote to unlock the door and reached down to open her door, but before she could open it, Detective Ryan bent down and kissed her softly.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: Hey everyone, how's your Tuesday going? Mine's pretty boring, actually. I spent the last hour and a half typing this up!<strong>

**How you guys feeling about this chapter, it's by far the longest one yet, almost 8 pages on open office, and 3,439 words!**

**I kind of go carried away at the beginning having the students introducing themselves. What do you think about the little Demming? (Note: Here we use iep plans for students with learning disabilities, I don't know if that's just a state thing or if it's national, or even you know, world wide.) I have a story plan to come for that one, so I'm hoping that none of you just over looked that, because it will be awesome, trust me!**

** I realized that I'm going to have to start outlining more chapters, I only have up to 7 figured out right now, and that's just around the corner!**

**Anyway, I decided that I would type up a list of all Alexis' students for future reference, and if any of you want to see who they were, I will post them below.  
><strong>

_**1. Ashlyn Jones  
>2. Julia Kalia<br>3. Janice Kalia  
>4. Jackson Hutcherson<br>5. Vanessa Jackson  
>7. David Hunter<br>6. Chandler Steven  
>8. Jenyssa Green<br>9. Austin Binter  
>10. Rosa Lopez<br>11. Emily Crazen  
>12. Destiny Holt<br>13. Jay Munks  
>14. Jeff Charmical<br>15. Thomas Dean  
>16. Nicholas James<br>17. Daze Fillup  
>18. Finn Chance<br>19. Rebekah Hanson  
>20. Envy Simms<br>21. Abigale Sevilla  
>22. Alianna Demming<strong>_

** Now this document is almost at nine pages, but still, I just decided you know.. to throw that in.  
><strong>

** Leave a review, let me know what you think! (:**


	5. Chapter 5

**Happy Friday! Can you believe that it's been two weeks and we're already on chapter five? Ha. If I had stuck to my original plan of one update a week, we'd only be on Chapter three! Holy crap, guys. You just make me want to write and stuff, **

**I'd like to give credit to my best fandom friend, Kota (idontlookihunt) for her constant support and spit-balling ideas with me over Skype. She's currently brainstorming ideas for a new story because she's lost all ideas for her stories, I'll post her ideas at the end of the chapter and if you're interested in reading one of them, leave a review. **

**But, I have a question for you lovely readers, who should find out about our lovely secret couple first? I'm thinking Beckett or Espo. What do you guys think? **  
><strong>Anyway, on with the story!<br>**

* * *

><p>Alexis walked into the loft at about 7:30. She had dropped Ryan off in front of the building so he could see Kate and her Dad yet again, and then she waited a bit to go up to make things not seem suspicious just yet. Ryan didn't understand why he didn't just get dropped off down the street and walked over, but Alexis wasn't changing her mind at what she was going to do.<p>

She took her jacket off and hung it by the door, tossing her keys on the counter before walking into the front room.

"Hello, Alexis. I thought you got off at four?" her dad said when she walked in.

"I did, but I got a bite to eat with a friend after week." she told them with a shrug. "I'm gonna go up to my room. Plan for tomorrow." she walked over and gave her dad a kiss on the cheek before brushing her hair behind her ear.

"You don't want to hang out with your cool dad anymore? You'd rather work. Where did this come from, I'm sure it wasn't me, and there is no way in hell that it was from your mother."

Alexis chuckled before standing up straight. "You have company, Dad. I'm not going to impose on your fun. I'll call Jessica or Faye. Natalie even wanted to "facebook chat". Why it has to be done over facebook I don't know, she's crazy."

"Alright. But tomorrow we are having a movie night, so come home after you get done at work."

"It's a date." Alexis smiled. "Love you, Dad." she turned and walked around the couch and up the stairs until she was out of sight.

Fifteen minutes later she lay on her bed on, her laptop open to facebook. She scrolled through her news feed, nothing interesting happened that day. She scrolled past a picture posted by Faye of Abigale. Alexis smiled and clicked the comment button typing _"Abi is super adorable. She also is super nice to the other kids in class.".  
><em>

She opened her profile, deciding if she should update it. She hadn't personally changed it in a long time. She picked her phone up from by her side typing in a message to Ryan.

_to Kevin: "should I change my facebook relationship status...?" _

_From Kevin: "do you /want/ to change it?"_

_to Kevin:_ _"i don't even know. yes, kinda."_

_From Kevin: "then change it."_

_to Kevin: "Should I?"_

_From Kevin: "I just told you to, so do it. Now Becks is giving me weird looks, so I'm going to stop checking my phone and talk to these people."_

_to Kevin: "Alright, I'll call you before work tomorrow?"_

_From Kevin: "If you'd like to. But now I really have to stop checking my phone. Beckett scares me."_

Alexis chuckled and did as she was told, changing her relationship status from "it's complicated" to "in a relationship." and standing up, leaving her computer open. She walked over in front of her mirror and brushed her hair out of her face.

Walking over to her closet she pulled a pair of white sweats and a red tanktop out of her dresser, changing into something more comfortable. She walked back over to her bed, closing her computer and setting it on the bedside table before pulling out a notebook and pen from the top drawer.

_9/26_

_i don't think i have written in this "journal" since before i started dating Ashley, but i haven't had the courage to throw it away. I always mean to start writing in it again because i know that i will love to read back on my life before i settled down and have a family when i do actually have a family. i can see myself sitting by the fire on the night before christmas with my kids reading about what I used to be like. The strange thing is, I never used to see a face to my husband, but now i do. I haven't even been dating him long but he's one of the only guys that I've dated that I can actually see potential with. And I haven't even dated that many guys. Ashley was really my first really serious boyfriend, and then we broke up, and I didn't have another boyfriend until the winter semester in college with Jaden, who was just a mess. I mean, yeah he was a great guy, but nothing like Ashley. I always seemed to compare every guy I went on a single date with to him until Junior year in college, and then I started coming back to the loft regularly. _

_When I invited him to help me a few weeks ago, i never imagined that i would actually feel something more then friendship for him, but it's just crazy how things work, I guess. I can't believe he sees anything in me, either. I'm just a buzz kill as Anabeth, Faye, and Nat called me my last day in the apartment with them. But then that first date with him that was wonderful in all the ways someone could want.. and then tonight. I'm just amazed and totally falling head over heels. Last time I did this, things didn't end well, but before I start to hide from him and let myself be scared to let these feelings get too deep, I'm going to think about what if I have finally found him. My "one and done" as Kate would say? I'm not even making sense anymore, and I'm really just writing to myself so it doesn't even matter. I'm just confusing myself. The only thing I need to think about with him, is there a possibility that I could love him? And I think there is, otherwise I wouldn't be able to picture a future with him. Oh god, I'm turning into a typical teenage girl. Next thing I know I'll be doodling his name on my papers at work._

Alexis stood up from her bed, putting her notebook back in her drawer, grabbing her phone and walking out of her room. She brushed her hands through her hair, pushing her bangs to the side of her face as she walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. She grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge and took a long drink out of it.

"Hey, Alexis! You decide to come join us?" she heard Esposito ask from across the room.

Alexis shrugged, twisting the cap back on her bottle of water. "I guess so. I finished everything I needed to do."

"You just missed your cool dad." Castle said when she reached the back of the couch.

"I was just upstairs. It's not like I went to Mexico." Alexis replied with a chuckle. "Anything interesting going on here?"

"The guys are trying to figure out who Ryan went out with a few weeks ago." Kate told her.

"Ooh, I'd like to know. Let me guess, he was a handsome hot dog seller?" she guessed jokingly.

"I bet that's right!" Castle spoke enthusiastically.

"No, I'm pretty sure that _she _doesn't sell hot dogs. She actually has a much better job then that." Ryan said with a sigh.

"Do tell us what she does." Alexis said walking over and on the floor by the couch.

"No, because then everyone would know who she is, and we wouldn't want that."

"Is she an imaginary date?" Castle guessed again.

"Why would she be imaginary?" Alexis asked her dad.

"Well, he doesn't want to tell us anything. Not even her job." Castle shrugged and Alexis looked across the room at Detective Ryan.

"How about this, he gives us one thing he likes about her and we leave him alone for the night." Kate suggested.

"And then we get back to this tomorrow." Esposito told them with a slight nod.

"I'd actually like to hear this." Alexis said leaning back against her Dad's legs and taking a drink from her water.

"Hm. Well, she does have the most beautiful blue eyes I think that I have ever seen." Ryan said with a shrug.

"Ever prettier then mine?" Castle joked, and Alexis chocked on her water.

* * *

><p><strong> So not my best chapter, really just a filler. But it's fun, right? Anyway.. Kota's story ideas..<strong>

**Castle and Beckett's first _family_ vacation together.  
>A story that starts with the Caskett wedding, and then through their first year of marriage.<br>Caskett's adventures as a SECRET couple.  
>and lastly, the Caskett family story.<strong>

**Any of those something any of you think would be an awesome story? **


	6. Flashbacks

**Authors Note: Hola fellow fandom members, and my lovely readers. It's Macie here, which is pretty obvious because well, this is my story and my account. Anyway, just thought that I would let you know of a few updates about me and my writing. **

**Firstly; this story is going to be about 20 chapters, give or take a few. **  
><strong>Secondly; After I finish this story, there is going to be a sequel, it still is yet to be decided if that story will be immediate, or after a Caskett story I will be writing with Kota. <strong>  
><strong>and Lastly; The amazing Kota had to make a book cover for Graphic Design, and guess what? She choose THIS story. I will link that to my profile so ya'll can see it if you please. I think it looks pretty cool. And, if you'd like to critique it, go shoot her a message on her tumblr, (idontlook-ihunt[.]tumblr[.]com)<strong>

**I think that most of you just want to get on with the story, so onward!**

MeganReneeSweetart: This chapter is for you! You wanted a Caskett wedding, so a Caskett wedding you shall get!(A link to all wedding stuff will also be on my profile, also, I suck at writing weddings, but, hi. )

* * *

><p>"Alexis you have to look at these pictures!" she heard her Dad call to her, and it sounded like he was coming up the stairs. He walked in Alexis' room, and she was sitting on her bed reading a book.<p>

"Put the book down." he told her as he sat down next to her, shoving the photo album in front of her. She took a look at the first picture, which was one of her, her Dad, Kate, Laine, Jenny, Kate's friend Madison, Ryan, Esposito, and one of her Dad's poker friends who she couldn't seem to remember the name of. She smiled as she saw the wedding party jumping by the ocean as her Dad and Kate shared about what seemed to be the millionth kiss that day. It was a picture that looked really nice, but one of the ones she remembered seemed to be one of the sillier ones to take. She leaned back against her head board remembering everything about that day, it started with Laine being paranoid about Kate getting ready, while Kate just sat on the couch eating a bowl of cereal.

_"Beckett, seriously, if you're going to be eating at least let me do your hair while you eat." Laine called from across the room where she had just plugged in two different curling irons, and a flat iron. Alexis sat on one of the stools by the kitchen counter in her white sweats and black tank-top, trying to figure out if she should help Laine get her soon to be step-mom(not that she referred to her as that.) off the couch or if she should get herself ready. Alexis sighed, she felt like Laine should be wearing the dress that Alexis' would soon be wearing, as it was the Maid of Honor dress. It was much to Alexis' surprise that Kate choose Alexis for her maid of honor. Everyone assumed it would be Laine, just because well, it was Laine. Kate never even asked anyone until they needed to get the dresses fit. Despite Kate's choice, though, Laine still demanded she be "in charge" of the whole wedding, and no matter what Alexis' tried to do, Laine just pushed her out of the way, so was it really her fault? No, but she still felt guilty. _

_It took about an two hour to get Kate's hair and makeup done to "perfection" and as soon as they were sure that she was perfect, the bridesmaids ran off to get changed. Alexis walked up to her room and put on her light blue dress, being careful not to mess up her hair, that Kate did while Kate was getting her own hair done by her highschool best friend, Madison. _

_In another two hours, all the girls were in their dresses and had their hair perfect, all of them straightened, perfectly straight, except for Alexis' who had her hair partially braided. They walked outside to where the ceremony was set up in the beach, and it looked beautiful. The color scheme was a light blue, and there was a tent over the reception area. Alexis' breath was taken away, that was for sure. _

_Five minutes later, Alexis began her walk down the aisle with Detective Esposito, when she reached the front of the alter, she turned slowly and walked over next to stand next to the other three bridesmaids. She looked over at her Dad, who smiled at her, but it was a nervous smile, one she'd hardly see on him. A second later, she looked to her right, where she saw Kate, looking more beautiful ever, which Alexis thought impossible until now, walking down the aisle, looking just as nervous, maybe even more so, then Castle. Kate reached the alter, permitted her Dad to give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek before he sat down, not on the aisle seat, but the one next to it. The entire wedding party decided to leave two empty chairs, one on each side of the aisle for Captain Montgomery as well as Kate's mother, Johanna._

_"Family, friends, and other loved ones, we are gathered here today to join the union of these two wonderful people, Richard Castle and Katherine Beckett. I must say, from what I have heard about these two, this has been a much anticipated day, long before the two of them had began dating, and I haven't seen two people who look better with each other yet." The minister said as Kate brushed a lock of hair out of her face._

_"Despite the many issues the two of them had, one thing has brought us here today. The love between the two of them is more powerful then any one person can take from them. It's gotten them through a lot of things, more then what most people would have to go through." _

_Alexis looked over to her grandmother, who was sitting next to Jim. She looked so much younger than she was in her blue dress that Alexis had helped her pick out. She looked back to her Dad and Kate, who were just about to say their vows._

_"Mr. Castle, please repeat after me._  
><em>I Richard Castle, take you Katherine Beckett to be my wedded wife." <em>

_"I Richard Castle, take you Katherine Beckett to be my wedded wife." _  
><em>("To have and to hold, from this day forward..")"To have and to hold, from this day forward.."<em>  
><em>("for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health,")"for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health,"<em>  
><em>("to love, honour, and to cherish 'till death do us part.")"to love, honour, and to cherish 'till death do us part."<em>

_"Now place this ring on Kate's finger and repeat 'With this ring, I wed thee.'" Castle took the ring from his hand, and put it next to Kate's finger._

_"With this ring, I wed thee." He slide the silver ring onto Kate's finger, keeping his hand as steady as he could. He looked up at her with teary eyes and a smile."_

_"Kate, if you could repeat after me"_

_("I Katherine Beckett, take you Richard Castle to be my wedded husband..)"I Katherine Beckett, take you Richard Castle to be my wedded husband."_  
><em>("To have and to hold, from this day forward..")"To have and to hold, from this day forward.."<em>  
><em>("for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health,")"for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health,"<em>  
><em>("to love, honour, and to cherish 'till death do us part.")"to love, honour, and to cherish 'till death do us part."<em>

_"Now place this ring on Richards finger and repeat 'With this ring, I wed thee."_

_Kate took the ring with a trembling hand a took a deep breath before speaking. "With this ring, I wed thee."_

_"Katherine and Richard have declared their love for each other in front of their families and friends, they've shared their love and loyalty to one another, their vows sealed together with the bearing of rings. With the power infested in me, as well as their love for each other I now pronounce them Husband, and wife. Richard, you may now kiss your bride." As Castle gave Kate a soft and tender kiss, the whole group of people watching burst into applause, tearful smiles on their faces. Alexis brushed her bangs out of her face as her Dad walked back down the aisle with Kate, her and the rest of the wedding party following shortly after. _

Alexis sat up in her bed, closing the wedding album and handing it back to her dad who was leaning on her shoulder.

"Is Kate home?" she asked him with a small, yet hopeful smile on her face.

"No, I think she's at the precinct." Castle told his daughter who immedietly stood up.

'"I'm gonna go talk to her. I'll be back in an hour, probably." Alexis grabbed her phone and walked quickly down the stairs, grabbing her keys off the counter before running out of the door. __

__It took her fifteen minutes to get to the precinct, but when she did, she practically ran inside and up the stairs. She slowed once she got closer to the top so that it didn't really look like she was in a hurry. __

She walked onto the familiar bullpen, seeing hardly anyone there. She checked her phone, seeing that it was almost 5:30, she looked around, and the one person who was still there was Kevin Ryan, her new boyfriend. She walked over to him, and sat down in the chair by his desk. He looked up at her and smiled.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" he asked her, sliding a piece of paper into a manilla folder and putting it on the corner of his desk.

"I needed to talk to Kate, and she wasn't home so I figured she'd be here." Alexis said with a shrug.

"She just left, like, must of been just before you walked in. Surprised you didn't run into her." Ryan said, opening another manilla folder.

"Alright, well I'll talk to her at home then." Alexis said with a shrug. She stood up, Ryan standing up with her, giving her a tight hug.

"I have to go home and do laundry and I don't want to." Alexis said with a chuckle into his shoulder.

"Go do laundry, that sounds like a great time." he whispered into her hair.

She looked up at him, and he gave her a soft, loving, kiss. They must have been pretty lost in it because neither of them heard the elevator open. When Alexis grabbed her phone off Ryan's desk, she saw Kate standing there, with a confused look on her face.

"Oh, uhm, I was looking for you Kate, I had to talk to you.." Alexis said, and Ryan grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair and walked off.

"I obviously walked in at the wrong time..." Kate told her, trailing off.

"I know it probably looked bad, and I'll explain everything to you tomorrow, but please please please don't tell my Dad, I want to tell him myself."

"It isn't my secret to tell, Alexis." Kate told her grabbing something out of her desk.

"So you won't tell anyone?"Alexis asked as they started walking out.

"Nope." Kate said with a firm nod.

"Thank you so much Kate." Alexis threw her arms around Kate with a smile.

"I promise I'll tell him soon."

"Good, because I can't keep secrets from him for that long."

Alexis chuckled as she walked out of the precinct and to her red car, while Kate walked across the street to where her black car was parked.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note...Again.: Yeah, I suck. I can't believe how much this chapter sucked. Even worse than the last chapter. All I can think about is cuffed tonight. (20 minutes until I get to watch it!) So, sorry. <strong>

**Anyway, reviews are loved. Even if it's a "Good job" anythings works! **

**love, Macie.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Authors Note: I'm really happy with the way this story is going! I hope you guys are enjoying reading it as much as I am writing it. You guys are seriously awesome. **  
><strong>This chapter is kinda long compared to the others, and I think you guys are going to get a kick out of it. <strong>

**Missed my Friday update, I apologize, but Finals have been totally stressing me out. For those of you who follow my twitter(xoMacie) you;ll know I have had this typed up for while, but I haven't really been online long enough to upload it. **

**Also, I split the chapter in two so it isn't super long. I'll post the other half later in the week.  
><strong>

**Remember that thing I said before..? About time skipping? Well, this is one of those chapters. Skips a month into the future, and no one has let any secrets spill.. yet. **

**Enjoy! **

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><p>Alexis flipped her hair over her shoulder, grabbing a manilla folder off her desk and handing it to the blonde woman standing next to her desk.<p>

"This is all the work you requested." She told her, handing her the folder.

"Thank you, Ms. Castle. I'm sure Dave won't be too happy about having to do work while we're on out vacation, but we have a long flight and a layover in Denver, so maybe he won't be bored." Alexis nodded and stood up.

"Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Hunter. I hope you guys have an excellent trip." Alexis walked over to her classroom door, propping it open with the black door stopper.

"Thank you again, Ms. Castle" Mrs. Hunter said, walking out of the classroom. Alexis sighed, walking over to her computer and turning on her smart board. In a few seconds a few pictures appeared, one of a book, a music note, and a pencil.

She had stated a thing with her class, because they weren't readers yet and wouldn't know what "penmanship" or "music appreciation", even "reader response" meant, she would use pictures to show them their morning schedule.

She sat down at her desk, pulling her phone out. She had ten minutes until school started, and all the students were outside on the playground. She made sure her phone was on vibrate before putting it back in her desk drawer.

A few minutes later, her little group of kindergartners starting walking in with their friends. Hardly any of them were still friends with the "recess buddies" she had assigned the first day of school. Abigale and Aliannah were an exception, as well as Vanessa, Thomas and Destiny.

When the bell rang signaling the start of school, it took a minute for the hallways to get quieter, because of the upper-school grade students who found it cool to be late for class at the start of the week.

Alexis began her class by having them sit on the carpet in the front of the class. She handed them all printed out copies of a story that she found online, and had them each try to read a sentence. Some read better than others did, some couldn't read the first word. But they were all improving.

After she finished her reading session, she had them line up and she took them to the gym, where the other kindergarten classes were sitting on the floor, talking loudly. She sat her class where there was a strip of tape labeled "Castle", letting her know that that was were they were supposed to be sitting.

In about five minutes, the Junior High music director Daniel Kay walked in with a large black bag. He told the teachers that were all lined against the wall, that they were welcome to leave, and he had the students under-control.

Alexis walked back to her classroom. She wouldn't have the students until after noon-recess, because straight from music they'd be going to lunch. They had a school-wide assembly after all the grades were finished with their lunch, so she had a ton of time to get the rest of the school week planned out.

It was 1:30 when she had her students line up with their book-bags, and she led them down to the auditorium. The assembly was with a group of New York City officials. There was going to be some paramedics, doctors, some traffic officers, paramedics, and she believed that there were going to be some detectives from the 5th there as well.

They were going to be addressing what they do, why it's important, and, mostly for the older grade students, how they can get involved and volunteer with the community.

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><p>Alexis smiled as she walked back to her classroom, it was 3:00, it took twenty minutes to clear all the students out of the auditorium, and after that she, along with a couple of other teachers stayed to talk to the people holding the assembly. It was then that a lot of the teachers, as well as the officials were there, learned that Alexis had connections to the NYPD, not only through her Dad, which they already knew, but that she was dating one of the detectives. Alexis was smart enough to not tell them who, but they assumed it was one of the newer detectives.<p>

She turned the light on to her classroom and walked over to her desk, picking up her things and walking back out, making sure that her door was locked. She pulled her phone out of her bag as she walked out to her car, dialing Detective Ryan's number.

It took four rings for him to answer, she couldn't help but smile when she heard his "Ryan" on the other end.

"So I was thinking earlier about something." told him, putting her bag and laptop case in the back of her car and closing her door.

"about what exactly?" she could have sworn that she hears Esposito in the background asking who he was talking to, but she might have just been going crazy.

"My Dad."

"Oh."

"I promised Kate that I would tell him soon, and that was a month ago. I can't ask her to keep a secret from him, starting a marriage off with a secret isn't good. I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure that's why my parents broke up."

"I understand, she's been giving me weird looks lately when ever Espo asks why they haven't met my girlfriend yet."

"Should we tell them?"

"I think it would be wise."

"When?"

"Tonight or tomorrow?"

"Tonight would probably be best. Tomorrow I might loose my nerve." She started her car, making sure that the heat was on low.

"So, should I come over then?"

"Yeah. I'll see you later, I got some butt-kissing to do. Gonna clean the loft spotless."

"Have fun with that."

"Alright, bye." she said with a chuckle before hanging up.

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><p>It took her two hours to clean the loft. It was now five-thirty, she had dinner in the oven, and had called her dad to let him know not to eat before he got home, and that he needed to be home before six, because she was gonna introduce him to her boyfriend tonight.<p>

Her Dad walked inside and she was sitting at the counter, grading her students penmanship papers.

"Hey, Pumpkin. What's for dinner?" he asked her with a kiss on her forehead.

"Lasagna." she told him with a smile.

"So, what time is the boy coming over?" he asked her as the door opened again, this time Detective Beckett walking in.

"Hum," she checked the time on her phone before answering. "'bout twenty minutes." she told him with a smile.

"Alright then."

"So, I wanted to talk to you two about something before he gets here.." she told her Dad and Kate, not looking up.

"and what would that be?" the detective asked her.

"I'm twenty-one now, I have a great job and everything, I think it might be time for me to you know.. get my own apartment." she looked up for a second, to see a shocked look on her Dad's face. "and by myself. Not with my boyfriend. That would be a little much to tell you in one night." she chuckled, walking over to the fridge and taking out a bag of salad.

"Well, I guess you are right." Castle said sitting down in the stool where she was sitting.

They didn't say anything for another fifteen minutes, Alexis was busy in the kitchen, making sure that there wasn't anything that shouldn't be there in the food. When she heard a knock on the door, she sighed, biting her lip. It was too late to go back now. She looked over to Kate with a look that Kate understood. She nodded, and walked over to the door, opening it.

Before they came back, Alexis ran over to her Dad, turning his around and shoving him to the couch so that his back was to the door. She suddenly felt a ton of butterflies come to her stomach. She was definitely not ready to do this, but she knew she couldn't wait any longer.

"Okay, Dad, you have to promise not to freak out when you see him."

"but I'm your Dad, it's my job to freak out and go all crazy on your boyfriend." he replied with a slightly pouty expression.

"No, Dad. Not this time."

He nodded. She took a deep breath and motioned to have Kate come back in.

Alexis took a deep breath as she told her dad to stand up and turn around. When he did, Alexis buried her head in her hands, Castle standing there with a shocked expression on his face.

"You?" he asked him, slight anger in his tone.

"Uhm, me." Ryan replied, trying his hardest not to stutter.

"Okay, as fun as this is. I think Alexis doesn't want the food she made to not be eaten, so we can go over and eat, and Rick can do his whole Daddy speech then, okay?"

"You just want the food." Rick mumbled, walking over and sitting on one of stools by the counter.

Beckett shrugged as she walked over to the kitchen. Alexis took a breath, glanced over at Detective Ryan and followed her Dad and Beckett.

They ate in silence, except for Kate's attempts at making small talk. Castle kept glaring at Ryan and Alexis. When they finished eating, Kate put her napkin on her plate and sighed loudly.

"Alright, this silence is really bothering me. Rick, just say what you are thinking." Alexis took a deep breath and twirled her fingers in her lap.

"You wanna know what I'm thinking? I'm annoyed. I'm shocked, and I'm upset."He stood up, walking over to the sink, rinsing his plate off and sticking it into the dishwasher.

"Alexis, he's like fifteen years older than you. I don't understand.. When you left for Columbia you were still hung up on Ashley." Alexis looked down at her lap, disappointed, but not completely surprised her dad didn't approve.

"I'm shocked and upset that you didn't tell me. Lex, you're supposed to be my little girl. Why wouldn't you tell me?" he put his hands on either side of the sink and sighed.

"I can't really do my normal boyfriend talk because well, one, he's authorized to have a gun, and two, I don't want to get in trouble for threatening an officer."

Alexis stood up and walked over to her Dad, pulling him into a tight hug.

"Remember when I went to prom with Owen? How I said no matter how old I got that I would always be your little girl?"

"Some of the best words you ever said to me."

"I still mean them."

"Uhm, sorry to interrupt this adorable father daughter moment, but we are on call tomorrow, so I would appreciate it if we could you know.. hurry this father-boyfriend talk up." Kate said with a smile.

"I think Ryan knows what's gonna happen if he hurts Lex." Castle said with a shrug.

"Yeah, and I think this is now my cue to leave." Ryan said, grabbing his jacket, waving to everyone and walking out.

"So, Dad. About me moving out…"

"Seriously, can we talk about that another time? I just found out you were dating one of my friends who is fifteen years older than you. I think I've had enough for one night."

"We are going to talk about it though. I'm too old to be living with my Dad." She kissed him on the cheek and walked up the stairs to her room.

When she sat down on her bed in her white sweats and a black tank-top, she picked her phone up off the bedside table and opened her Fruit Ninja app, selecting Arcade Mode, and leaned against her head board.


	8. A little trip

"Dad?" Alexis called as she walked downstairs, a red dufflebag slung over her shoulder. "Oh great father of mine?" she called again, walking in to the kitchen. She sighed as she looked around at the empty loft. Rolling her lips together, she took her phone off the counter, opening up the message from her dad that it said she had. She locked her phone, sliding it in her back pocket and grabbing her keys off the counter before picking up the red suitcase that was by the door and walking quickly outside.

She opened the back door of her car, tossing her bag inside before quickly walking around to the drivers side and climbing in her normal seat. She drove for about five minutes before she pulled up in front of the familiar building. She grabbed her keys and locked her car before quickly walking inside.

When she got inside and to the area she was headed, she looked to her left and saw her dad there.

"Dad. I thought you were taking me to the airport?" she asked him slightly annoyed. She was super excited to go to this teaching workshop this week even though it was in California and was a week long and she wouldn't be able to see anyone. She wanted her dad to take her, he told her he would, and here he was, at the precinct.

"I was... and I am but Kate got this case and said I could help.. and you read my message." he said a pleading look in his eyes.

Alexis sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I get that your pissed at me, Dad. I've told you a lot of things that really show how much I've grown up these past few years But seriously, Dad. I don't think you really want to take me. I don't think you want me to go."  
>"No, Alexis. I don't. But it isn't just to this workshop, I don't want you to go period. You're talking about moving out, you've got this fantastic job that shows you can do it yourself. You're growing up to fast."<p>

"Can we talk about this another time? I really can't right now. My flight leaves in an hour and I'm not even on my way."

"Fine. Do you still want me to take you?"

"No, I'll drive myself." She nodded once, running her hand through her hair.

"Are you sure?" he asked her, slightly disappointed.

"Yes, I am sure. Stay here and work on this case." She told him, giving him a hug. "Tell everyone to have a good week for me, okay?"

"Why don't you come tell them yourself. I'm sure Kate and Ryan would be really mad if you didn't tell them goodbye in person." Alexis smiled to herself as she pulled out of her dad's grasp.

"Yeah, alright." she said as he lead her all the way in.

"Hey, Alexis. You guys leaving?" Kate asked her, setting a folder down on her desk.

Alexis nodded, a small smile on her face. "Yeah. My flight leaves in an hour or so."

"I hope you have a good trip." Detective Beckett told the redhead before giving her a quick hug.

"It should be good." Alexis replied with a chuckle.

"Ryan just went to get some financial records for our vic, he should be here any minute, if you want to wait.." Beckett said with a slight shrug.

Alexis sighed, brushing her hair behind her ear. She bit the inside of her lip and checked the time on her phone.

"I really can't wait much longer."

"Yeah, she needs to catch her flight." Castle said in as sweet a voice as he could manage.

Beckett rolled her eyes while Alexis sighed again. She checked the time once again. "Okay, I really have to go now. I'll see you guys on Sunday." She told them, giving her Dad a quick hug and heading out of the room. 

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><p>Alexis grabbed her carry-on bag and walked as fast as she could off her plane and over to baggage claim where she would be meeting her dad. While she was gone, her Dad has used the spare key to her car (that she got when she had lost her keys so many times) and picked her car up from the airport parking lot so that he could pick her up.<p>

When she got there, she looked around not seeing her dad. She pulled her phone out of her bag when she felt someone tap her on her left shoulder. She turned around and a wide smile came across her face. She threw her arms around his neck and he gave her a tight hug.

"Where's my dad?" she asked into his shoulder.

"He's getting Coffee with Beckett." Ryan told her. She looked up at him and smiled. "Why are you here? I thought you had to work.."

"Beckett told me I should come." he shrugged. "I wasn't going to object to seeing you."

Alexis kissed him on the cheek and smiled. "You know she's really supportive of this whole thing."

"What bag's yours?" Kevin asked her.

"It's red. I'll get it. It might be a minute or two, though so I'm going to call my Dad."

Ryan nodded and Alexis pulled her phone out of her pocket.

"Hello father. Where might you be?" she said in a childish tone.

"I be walking. Where you be?" Alexis chuckled before replying.

"I be standing where I said I would meet you."

"Well, I be there in about.. twenty seconds." and then she heard silence. She put her phone in her pocket and sighed. "My dad is such a dork." she said with a chuckle.

"Hey! I heard that." Castle said from behind her.

"Well, good." Alexis said giving him a hug.

After they got her luggage, Alexis, Kate, Castle and Ryan walked out to her Dad's car.

"Why did you bring your car.. it isn't very practical for the cold weather.." Alexis said putting her bags inside.

"My car is freaking awesome, young one."

"So, Alexis, how was the workshop?" Kate asked when they were on their way back to the loft.

"It was..." Alexis paused trying to think of the right word. "pretty awesome."

"You didn't run into Meredith, did you?" Castle looked at her threw the mirror.

"I actually did, I saw her walking with some guy in the park while I was walking back from lunch with one of the other girls. She smiled at me and that was it. Not even a wave." Alexis said with a shrug.

"She didn't even say hi?" Kate said with a shocked tone.

"Nope." Alexis stated flatly.

After a comfortable silence for the rest of the ride home, Alexis was relieved to finally be home. She tossed her bags by the door with a smile.

"Oh, your friend Faye said that she wanted to stop by later.." Castle glanced at his watch "and by later I mean like twenty minutes." Alexis nodded.

"Alright, is she bringing Abigale?" she asked grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.

"Uh, I don't actually know.."

"Well, I have to go and get my paperwork done now." Kevin said with a smile.

"Kay. Thanks for coming." Alexis replied with a smile.

"No problem. I'll call you later sometime." He gave her a kiss on the cheek and walked out. Alexis nodded and smiled slightly.

"I'm gonna go start some of my laundry.." she said quietly and slowly started walking up the stairs. Before she got upstaris, she heard Detective Beckett start talking to Castle.

"I'm glad you're trying to be supportive of Alexis and Ryan even though I know how much you don't like them being together."  
>Alexis stopped as soon as she would be out of sight and listened to what her Dad was going to respond, even though she knew she probably shouldn't be.<br>"Well, I guess I want Alexis to be happy." She heard him reply with a slight sigh. A smile came across her face as she quietly made her way up to her room. It wasn't until she was allt he way upstairs that she forgot she left her bag downstairs.

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><p>Authors note: Kinda short, and even though it seems like more of a filler chapter, it isn't. We're just about to the climax of the story, and this chapter is leading right into it. In case you all were wondering, These are the months the chapters are taking place in:<br>Chapters 1 and 2- End of August/Early September  
>Chapter 3, 4 and 5 - Mid September<br>Chapter 6 - Early/Mid October  
>Chapter 7 - Middle of November<br>and Chapter 8 - End of November

I love to hear from you guys ! Reviews make my day! I'm gonna start trying to reply to reviews now. I'm thinking any alert-ers, favoritor-ers, and reviewers I get this chapter get a little sneak peek into next chapter? One of the above works! Just a little something to let me know that ya'll are still interested in this story.

Love you all, Macie (:


	9. Chapter 9

**Authors Note: I told one of my reviewers that this chapter would be posted on the 23rd, but then I got busy with holiday stuff. And on Monday I took the five hour drive to Utah to visit a friend. (I woke up at four in the morning and everything. It was awful, but sooo worth it!) I just got back, and here is your chapter! I hope you all enjoy it and it doesn't make you hate me. But what's a good story without some drama, huh?**

**Oh, and it's also a little... un-realistic. But, hey, it's fiction. **

**Sorry it's short, also. **

**And now I'm done rambling. **

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><p>Kevin Ryan walked into Remy's with his partner, to get some lunch. They ordered their food, and because it was the lunch rush the had a little while to wait. They walked over to a small space on the wall and waited there. Making small talk about various topics while they waited.<p>

Five minutes later they got their food and made their way out, as the walked onto the street, a small blonde boy ran into Esposito. He looked to be about six or seven, and slightly nervous.

"Hey there." Esposito said in a friendly voice. "You alright?"

"yeah- I just, I can't find my babysitter. We were walking to the park, and we stopped to cross the street, and I turned my head to watch a couple of teenage girls argue across the street, and when I turned back around she wasn't there."

Espostio crouched down to his height and smiled at him. "Alright kid. What's your name?"

"Brian." he whispered.

"Hi Brian, I'm Javier Esposito, and this is my partner Kevin Ryan.." Ryan gave him a friendly smile and waved at him. "We're cops, so we can help you out."

"I was told in school to ask to see a badge if someone claimed to be a cop." Brain muttered at the ground.

"Well, you were taught right." Espo said, reaching into his jacket and pulling out his NYPD badge and showing it to the young boy.

"Brian, where did you last see your sitter? Do you remember what street it was?" Kevin asked, walking out of the middle of the sidewalk and guiding the boy to the side of the building.

He shook his head, not taking his eyes off the ground. "I do remember that there was.. a bookstore across the street, and we were standing by a guy with a sign."

"Alright, do you know the phone number of your baby sitter?" Esposito asked.

Brian shook his head again. "I know my Dad's phone number, though. He's at work, though."

"Where does your dad work?" Ryan asked him.

"Something with numbers and stuff. It's boring."

"Alright, Brian. We're gonna take you back to our precinct and we can call your Dad, sound like a plan?" Ryan told him in a sincere voice. Brian nodded looking up. They lead him to the car, and drove back to the precinct.

They walked inside, and Ryan walked over to the captain's office to explain. He figured there shouldn't be a problem, helping people was their job, after all. After explaining, he walked back over to his desk with his partner who was now entertaining the boy.

"The dad's calling the babysitter, letting her know where he is." Esposito said without looking up.

Ryan nodded and sat down and took out his paper work, but he looked over at the blonde boy before starting. "Hey, Brian, can I ask you a question?" Brian nodded, and the detective continues. "Isn't there school today?"

The boy shook his head. "I don't go to school. My mom teaches me when she gets home from work." Ryan nodded in response and set to work on his paperwork.

Twenty minutes later they heard the elevator door open and a blonde woman walked out quickly. "Brian!" she called loudly, running over and grabbing the boy. Ryan looked up, and when he saw the sight in front of him, he was shocked.

"I should have been paying attention. I'm sorry, Jenny" Brian muttered as Jenny pulled him into a hug.

"Oh my god, thank you guys so much. I'm so glad that it happened to be you two he ran into." Jenny told Ryan and Esposito as she smiled at them.

"Well, we were just doing our job. Kind of." Ryan told his ex-wife in a calm tone. He was still surprised, that out of all the people in the city, she was the little boy's babysitter. As Ryan recalled, she didn't really like babysitting other people's children.

"Thank you so much, Kevin." she gave him an awkward hug. Grabbing Brian's hand, she smiled at them again.

"Anyway, Brian's dad is leaving work early, so, let's hope I am not in too much trouble. Thanks again, and it was good to see you." she said walking out.

As the rest of the day progressed, Ryan had finished up his paperwork and was tapping his pencil on his desk as he scrolled through his email on his computer. Really nothing interesting came up.

"So, any plan with Alexis tonight?" Esposito asked his partner as the packed their things up for the night.

Ryan shrugged. "I dunno, maybe. I forgot to call her last night after I got off, so she might be mad at me."

"Dude, what's up with you?"

"What do you mean?" Kevin turned to face his partner.

"Seriously, this whole relationship with Alexis. You're acting like nothing has changed between you two."

Ryan shrugged and started walking towards the elevator. "I guess we're both more worried about what Castle thinks. We're being cautious of his feelings."

Esposito eyed him suspiciously before coming up with a counter-statement. "And that's it? You don't want to do anything because of Castle?" He glanced over at his partner, who nodded. "And you're sure that's the whole reason? Because I'm not so sure, bro. Alexis is a good woman, Kevin. If you're still in love with your ex-wife, she deserves to know, because I can promise you that she really likes you."

"Where did you get that I am still in love with Jenny?" Ryan said avoiding eye-contact. He called him Kevin, this had to be serious. Way serious.

"Well, one, you just avoiding making eye-contact with me. And two, I saw the way you looked when she gave you her "thank you" hug for helping that Brian kid today. We're detectives, it is our job to notice things, and that did not go un-noticed."

"I really, really, like Alexis." Ryan countered.

"Yeah, I know that. But do you feel the same for her as you did when you met Jenny?" Ryan sighed as Esposito talked to him. He was not prepared for this today. "That's exactly what I thought."

They parted their ways without saying more. As Ryan approached his apartment, he heard his phone go off. Without checking the caller-id, he answered it with his normal "Ryan."  
>"Well, isn't that a little formal way to pick up the phone when I call." he heard Alexis say, and he could tell that she was smiling by her tone.<p>

"Sorry, I'm driving so I didn't want to check the caller id."

"I can call you back later."

"Nah, I'm just about home. What's up?"

"I took the last half of the day off today to go sign for the apartment her friend was sub-letting, and I was wondering if tomorrow you wanted to help me pack up and move over there? Then we can grab some dinner?"

"Uh, sure. I'm on call though."

"I already have most of my stuff ready to be moved, so around two sound good?"

"Mhmm."

"Kay, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yup."

"Well, bye." He heard her say in a tone he didn't hear her use very often. It wasn't as... cheery as she usually spoke. He sighed when he heard her breath cut off, letting him know that she had hung up. Tossing his phone onto the passenger seat, he groaned to himself. He was one confused detective, and it wasn't about something he was used to.


	10. Chapter 10

**This is it, then end of Falling Over Again. It's been a fun journey, hasn't it? I'm planning a sequel, but right now I'm returning Kota's favor of helping me out with this story and helping her out with her new story, "To Be a Mother", so I advise you all to check that out because it's sure to be a good one, full of fluff and such. Anyway, more rambling at the end.**

**Also, the middle section I wrote while listening to a Sappy love song station on my TV, and I imagine it to be like one of those movies where the scenes fade together and all that. So that's what it's supposed to be like. Every "-" is the mark of a new scene. Uhm, I failed at writing it, so.**

**And lastly, le outfits for Alexis will be posted on my profile.**

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><p>She pulled her black scarf around her neck, letting it rest on her shoulder, just above the long white-sleeved t-shirt that she was wearing. she pursed her lips together as she looked herself over in the mirror. She brushed her fingers through her hair, before walking over and sitting on her bed. She pulled her black boots on over the dark was jeans she was wearing, and then slapped her hands down on her knees. She looked around the empty room with a small smile. It wasn't like it wouldn't be her room anymore, her Dad assured her that it would still be her room when she left. And today was the day that she was leaving.<p>

An hour later she pulled her phone out of her pocket and typing a message to her boyfriend.

_"Hey, my Dad was re-doing the Hamptons house so he had all(i mean most) of the furniture from there shipped up for me to us, and along with that they moved it all in for me, which makes my life easier. I just have to put my stuff away. If you still wanna come help you can, but there won't be much work to do."_

It didn't take long for a reply to come through from him, and Alexis opened it as she walked out of her room and down stairs, slinging her bags over her shoulder as she walked.

_"Why wouldn't I come help? I'm still coming to help you. I have some items of business I think we should discuss."_

_-"Items of business? That sounds a little fishy, but okay. Just meet me there? It's the apartments on 5th, apartment 15b(:"_

She put her phone in her pocket as she grabbed her keys off the table and walked out to her car, not bothering to look back, because really, she wasn't leaving. She would never leave, she'd always go back. And that's the way she saw it. With a smile on her face, she closed the door, grabbing the strap of her bag that was hanging over her shoulder, and walked down the stairs and out to her car.

Twenty minutes later, she grabbed the dufflebag full of clothes out of the back of her car and walked up to her apartment slowly, flipping the key over and over in the palm of her hand as she did so.

She walked inside and sighed as she saw the boxes sitting in the middle of the floor in the main room. Tossing her bag and keys onto the floor next to the door, she walked into the bedroom to see the bare bed sitting there. Before she could think about where to start with her unpacking, she heard a knock on the door, and walked quickly to open it.

"Hey." she said with a smile when she saw a familiar, very adorable blonde, standing there. "Come on in." she told him, giving him a quick kiss.

When he was inside, she closed to door behind him. And turned to lean against it.

"Can we talk now? If I don't, I might forget everything I wanted to say or loose my nerve or something."

"Sure. My bed's in the other room, about the other thing to sit on right now." she stated, walking towards her room. When she got there, she sat down on the edge, brushing her hair back over her forehead.

"So, Espo brought something up to me the other day, how we haven't really spent that much time together, how we hang out less than we do when we have been friends."

Alexis nodded, pursing her lips. "I have noticed that yes, but we've both been busy. I mean, I started a new job and I'm actually starting my life, so it's understandable."

"Yes, that's true." he continued, looking across the room at the blank wall. "But I think there's more to it. I've really been keeping myself busy because I haven't been ready to commit myself to a relationship with you."

"Oh." Alexis said flatly, looking down at the floor.

"I saw Jenny the other day, too. Made me realize I haven't been ready because I still had feelings for her." he said quietly.

"Listen, I have a lot of unpacking to do. If you're going to do this, break up with me thing, can you make it quick and then leave, please?" she snapped.

"Well, one doesn't listen to me, does she?" he replied.

"What do you mean? I listen to you! You just said that you're still in love with your ex-wife!" she told him, standing up.

"If you were listening you would have heard that I said had. not have." he whispered, standing up. "Alexis, seeing her gave me what I needed. I took a long drive alone that night, just thinking about everything. I realized that Jenny and I, we're over. Nothing's going to change that, because you are what I want. I don't want no bouncy blonde who looses the kids she babysits. I want smart, beautiful, caring, redheads named Alexis."

Alexis bit her lip, and smiled. "Couldn't you have just said that?" she asked in a whisper, standing on her toes before leaning up and giving him a gentle kiss. When they broke apart, she adjusted the collar of his shirt, a smile never leaving her face.

"Come on, let's go unpack my stuff, then we can go to lunch or dinner, depending." She grabbed his hand and walked into the main room, opening on of the boxes and sliding it towards him.

-  
>He had his arms around her waist, hers hands holding the front of his as they sat on the couch, looking through a photo album of Alexis as a little kid. The smile on her face in all of them was the same smile she still wore today when with the people that she loved. It was one Kevin Ryan knew well. He kissed the top of her head before whispering something in her ear that caused her to chuckle, twist a little and smack his chest. He smiled at her, and grabbed her hand and kissed her cheek. She rolled her eyes and went back to her original position, adjusting her white tank-top as she did.<p>

-  
>She was walking backwards, holding his hands as the crossed the bridge, a large smile on her face, but there was a pleading look in her eyes. Her red hair rest over the white blouse she was wearing, the click of her black heels being heard only by those who were within a few feet of the young couple. She was dressed as if she had just gotten off of work, minus the bags and the laptop case. He let out a sigh, and a quiet "Okay, fine", causing her to throw her arms around his neck and giving him a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek. As they neared the end of the bridge, she turned to walk beside him, lacing her fingers between his and resting her head on his shoulder.<p>

He's sitting on the couch, while she's sitting on the floor, leaning against the side of the chair that's adjacent to the couch, a children's book in hand. She looks to the small blonde who is sitting next to her. As she let's the little girl turn the page in the book, she looks up to her boyfriend and smiles, which he returns. She looks back to the little girl who is pointing to the page on the book, and Alexis continues to read to her. Kevin continues to smile, noting how well Alexis is with his niece, wondering to himself if he should bring her around his family more often.

It's one of the rare days that they both have off and can spend time together, and they're spending it at her Dad's loft, with her Dad, Kate, Her grandmother, Kate's Dad, as well Laine, and Esposito. She smooths out the bottom of her brown floral dress as she sits down on the couch, crossing her ankles. She bites her bottom look as she watches Kate talk to the two kids who are standing in the middle of the room looking around. They look alike, feternal twins even, and their names are Briella and Bently. Alexis looks over to her boyfriend whose sitting on the stool next to the counter, looking at the four girls, plus Jim, who are making conversation with the twins, and making small conversation with her Dad and Esposito about it. She rolls her lips together and it's then that she realizes that she loves him. Turning back to the group of people she's smiling as she brushes her red hair over her right shoulder.

She sighs loudly as she walks into her apartment, still in the white and black dress that Maddison had chosen for her to wear as a bridesmaid dress. She tosses the black clutch onto the coffee table as he walks in behind her, wrapping his arms around her. She leans her head back into his chest and closes her eyes.

"I'm so glad you came with me tonight. I had no idea she'd invited James." Alexis whispered.

"Hey, you can't always get upset when you see one of your exboyfriends." he rested his chin on the top of her head as he spoke.

"Yeah, but with him it's different. Notice that I didn't get even the least bit upset or jealous or any of that when I saw Ashley with whoever that blonde bimbo was." she stated matter-of-factly. She turned to face him, brushing her red hair out of her face.

"I know that. You're all mine now." he chuckled, leaning down and giving her a gentle, loving kiss.

"All yours, and only yours." She stated with a nod. "and that's because I love you." she continued in a whisper.

"and I love you, Alexis." he replied, brushing a lock of her hair out of her face and kissing her again.

-  
><strong>I can't tell you guys how many times I started this chapter, finished it, and then deleted everything because it just didn't seem right anymore, so that's why the delay in the update. Also, please note that every "scene" that happened was like, one a month, so that's pretty much four months, well, isn't pretty much, it was. Oh, and I don't even know if those apartments are real, mostly their figments of my imagination.<strong>

**And the twins mentioned before are foster kids Castle and Beckett took in, because I think that would be an awesome thing for them to do.  
><strong>

**I'd like to thank you all for sticking with me through this story. I'd like to thanks MeganReneeSweetart and castlelover100 for reviewing pretty much every chapter, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed at any point through the ten chapters that is this story, those who faved and/or subscribed, it means a lot. Don't worry, this is NOT the end of the Ryan/Alexis story, I'll beA starting a sequel called "Ours" sometime before the end of the month, and it'll be loosly based on the Taylor Swift song. If you haven't heard it, I would go youtube it. I also have about seven Castle/Beckett oneshots based on different songs and such that I may or not post.**

**Well, that's all for now.**  
><strong>xx Macie Jayde (:<strong>


	11. Sequel:

Hey everyone, it's Macie, remember me? Well, Guess what! The sequel to this story is up.

Did I just hear someone say "It's about time?"

Well, here's a little snippit of what you'll get...

_Her apartment is in need of being cleaned. Badly. There are empty coke cans sitting on the coffee tables and Faye's school books are all over the kitchen table. She must have just left for work given the time, and Abigale is probably at her Grandmother's. Faye and Abigale moved in with Alexis about a month ago, and now her apartment is at capacity. Faye sleeps on the pullout couch, because she refused to let Alexis, and Abigale is in the second bedroom. It doesn't matter that they are so cramped, Faye was tired of living with her mom, she didn't want to have to have a curfew at 21, so she decided to move out, but when they couldn't find their own apartment within her budget, Alexis was happy to let her friend move in._

_She starts throwing the garbage from her movie night with Faye and Lauren last night away when she hears a knock at the door. Groaning, she turns around, taking one last look over her apartment before she answers the door. She is surprised to see Kevin Ryan standing there seeing that he is supposed to be at work._

_"Hey." She says with a smile before stepping aside to let him in._

_"I need to talk to you." He tells her quickly, its obvious that he is nervous._

_"Alright, talk away." She says with a slight smile as she walks over to her couch._

_"Remember when I came over to help you unpack, and I told you that I had seen Jenny the day before?"_

_"Vaguely, but yes."_

_"Well, I kinda lied.."_

_"You didn't see your ex-wife? Why would you lie about that?" She's confused, this isn't making any sense. She's trying to think something up in her mind, but she can't._


End file.
